Boarding School Musings
by NoOneKnowsIWriteThis
Summary: High School AU: Alfred and Arthur talk on the school roof.


Alfred knew exactly where to find the elusive student council president during their lunch hour. Arthur almost always worked through his lunches in the student council room, and if he didn't then there was only one other place he would be: the roof. 

Alfred spotted the other boy, as expected, leaning against the school wall with a lit cigarette held lightly between his fingers.

"Hey, Arthur," he called softly. Arthur gave no sign that he'd heard Alfred beside a glance in his direction. Alfred sighed and sat next to the other. "Watcha doin'?" he asked lazily, letting his accent mercilessly slur the words.

Arthur gave him a mild glare in response before taking another drag on his cigarette and slowly blowing the smoke out. "Blowing a fag," Arthur replied casually, well aware of the American meaning of the phrase. "What does it look like?"

A chuckle escaped Alfred's lips. "Like you're paying more attention to a cancer-stick than to your boyfriend."

Arthur's mouth quirked upwards. "I wonder," he mused, "what the school would think if they found out their star athlete was gay. You'd break the cheerleaders' little hearts." He took another smoke-filled breath.

"How'd the school feel if they found out the super-strict president was smoking on school property?" Alfred returned. "Especially when there's another fag up here he could be blowing."

Arthur shook his head as his face reddened slightly. "I'm not doing that here. We could get caught," he protested.

Alfred laughed, easily filling the quiet with his booming voice. "And yet you're smoking, which is illegal on school grounds."

Arthur huffed, took the cigarette out of his mouth and stubbed it out on the ground. "I hope you're happy," he muttered.

"Not until I get my kiss," Alfred half-sang teasingly as he leaned over towards Arthur.

Arthur sighed resignedly, but did as he was bid and pressed their lips together in a chaste, but tender, kiss. When they broke apart, both were flushed slightly from excitement. They got to touch like this so rarely.

"I wish we could be open with our relationship," Arthur murmured regretfully, leaning his forehead against the other boy's.

Alfred slid his hands up Arthur's arms to his shoulders, partly wondering what it would feel like without layers of clothing in the way. "You know my father can't have an openly gay son during election season. It would ruin his 'image'." Alfred made finger-quotes against Arthur's shoulder. "Besides, the school..."

Arthur let out a bark of laughter. "Since when do we care about the school or our parents? If our parents really cared what we were up to, they wouldn't have sent us to some boarding school where we can only come home twice a year. And if I cared about the rules as much as I pretend to, I would have ended my nicotine habit by now." He pulled the old cigarette up between their faces and then flicked it away, not caring where it landed.

"As soon as I'm in college," Alfred whispered, alluding to a promise he'd given Arthur at the beginning of their relationship. "Then our parents can mind their own fucking business and we can live our lives the way we want."

Arthur smiled. "And I can proudly walk down the street holding hands with the best boyfriend in the world?" he asked, a lightly teasing tone in his voice.

"Second best," Alfred corrected, lifting his hand to caress Arthur's face. "I have the first best."

"You sap," Arthur accused gently, as he gingerly rose to his feet.

"You love it," Alfred returned teasingly as he also stood.

Arthur shook his head. "No, I don't," he said softly.

"What?" A look of confusion grew on Alfred's face.

"I don't love that," Arthur replied. "I love _you_."

Alfred froze as those words traveled to his brain. Arthur took advantage of his confusion to press another kiss to his lips before he left, the door to the roof slamming shut behind him.

A love-struck grin spread across Alfred's face as a hand rose to his lips. "I love you too, Arthur," he said lovingly, despite his boyfriend being unable to hear, as he too opened the door and left the roof.


End file.
